As always an excellent video, but it only adds to the confusion . At 73 do I need another grill? Why yes I do. I watched the Slow n’ Sear video ,ah a kamado, , then looked at the new Summit kamado, had looked before at the Camp Chef, and now your positive video. I see my kids inheritance taking a hit.
Just tell your wife "it's a bottle opener...with grill conveniently attached to the back." (Let us know how that worked out. lol) ✅🔴 Woodwind 36” W/ Sidekick* click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=wZdhhLSBsCk&offerid=690299.37&type=3&subid=0 ✅🔴 Woodwind 24” W/ Sidekick* click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=wZdhhLSBsCk&offerid=690299.38&type=3&subid=0 ✅✅ Grill Box* amzn.to/3oOmUKD ✅✅ Camp Chef Artisan Pizza Oven* amzn.to/348kjmT ✅✅ Get this if you are rich (best!) tinyurl.com/yxc525qj ✅✅ Get this if on a budget (great & cheap) tinyurl.com/y6tlgse6 (*Grill box & pizza oven are separate)
We are purposely looking to replace our gas grill with a pellet grill. We do a lot of burgers with our pool parties. Can you cook a lot of burgers in the main cabin well without tasting overly Smokey?
@@MissLittleNiki "overly smokey" what is that? That's kind of like saying "I had a great time at the party but I drank too much beer"! Or "military intelligence". Can't happen. Cook burgers on the highest setting and they'll come out perfectly, only thing better is eating fresh caribou over an open fire, oh and a case of a good IPA beer.
This grill has lots of new and neat features. What I love is that this type of grill is growing into “more”... not just a generic pellet grill, but it seems like the manufacturers are listening to the customers. Great video!!!
Yeah, I totally agree. The cool thing about camp chef is they have been on point with a lot of this stuff from the get go. Alot of what makes this nice was in the very first model I had 7 years ago.
That is really the only thing I wish my 24 had. I had the original 24 smokepro and sold it after probably 120+ cooks on it, upgrading to a new smokepro 24 (same unit, new controller.) A thermal blanket is all I added to this one (I had done the sear box on the old unit, which was nice but unnecessary.)
@@BabyBackManiac I just took a look at the Camp Chef site and the new Woodwind 24 smokers do NOT have the casters. It appears that the Woodwind 24 WiFI model does not have the casters that were on the earlier Woodwind 24 model. The only thing I can think of is the check the replacement parts for the caster/legs from the 36 and see if they might fit the 24.
As a owner of the last generation of the wood wind. Minus the WiFi controller it has all the positives you mentioned. None of the negatives. Have had it 3 or so years. Been flawless. Oh. Don’t know if they are still doing it, but if you’re are MIL, or a vet/ first responder you get a discount. You have to reach to Camp Chef directly and prove it, to qualify. Excellent review.
Great review! I just want to add somethings I discovered with mine. Ok from the get go I need to point out I am not complaining about mine. I love it. I won a 36 in from a local liquor store through a FREE raffle. I did have some issues with who put it together and went over it checking every nut and bolt. Glad I did...one of the wheels almost fell off and the bottom shelf wasn't even attached all the way. I did have connection issues with the controller from the start. After the update it is working great and I use the Bluetooth option the most. WIFI connection is still iffy but that is more of a router location and wall interference thing. I ran into the same issue with the pellet window and use a stick to stir the pellets around while cooking. The only suggestion I have for design is the door. I was smoking ribs at it started raining. The grill wasn't hot enough to evaporate all the rain water hitting the grill. One time I opened the lid and some water went into the grill onto the meat. When the door opens it doesn't overlap the top of the grill. Design flaw??? You decide. I just make sure now to wipe the lid off before opening it....ok that is my two cents.....Thanks
great feedback. Yeah, that's a problem with a lot of these cookers. I had one that costs a lot more that had the same issue. I appreciate the comment and wish I had thought to throw that in.
Great Review! I've had my 36" Woodwind WIFI for about 5 months. I love it. Several briskets, baby-back ribs, pork butt. The smoke flavor on the briskets was fantastic. Maybe other pellet smokers fall short here, but I definitely fooled my friends who thought I smoked a brisket on the offset, when it actually was done on the Woodwind. Only difference was I got a lot more sleep during the cook. I used Oak pellets to help with the Texas brisket flavor profile I was looking for. I baked the turkey on it for Thanksgiving, freeing up the inside oven for all the other things my wife made for the feast. Instead of the sidekick, I opted for the dedicated SearBox attachment. Works fantastically as I SousVide my steaks, I only need the quick sear at the end.
When I am ready for a new pellet smoker- this camp chef will definitely be at the top of the list- thank you for walking through the pro’s and the con’s.
I have the sear box, which adds that char broiled flavor to finish a steak. I smoke first, sear last. Adding the sear box made all the difference and it's increased my smoker usage a ton, it's a must have. The ash cleanout was the feature that sold me when I was shopping for a pellet smoker, it is a brilliant feature.
Hi Justin. I just came across this video and wanted you to know how much I miss your bbq videos. You've taught me so much about bbq and I appreciate it. I hope you're doing awesome 🙏❤
Excellent video Justin... I agree with you on this grill. I think it addressed the two major issues with pellet grills perfectly. 1 - it will sear with the sidekick addition and 2- it made the firepot clean out a no brainer. I think its a great choice.
Super review, Justin, as usual. You're getting so smooth that you may have a big future as a snake oil salesman. Always love to see Mama Maniac put in an appearance.
Great video man! I bought my dad the WW24 back in the spring and ended up with the SmokePro SG24 WiFi myself. I also have the sidekick which I never thought I’d use, but the versatility that it brings makes Camp Chef stand out vs the competition. I love to smoke my steaks and burgers then sear them on the cast iron griddle. Again great video and I hope to see more of it!
When I started doing my research about pellet grills a few months ago the very first one I watched really hated on Camp Chef and pointed out all kinds of imaginary issues and reasons why Trager was so much better. I was turned off on CC right from the beginning but as I learned more and more about them I kept coming back to the feature rich WW24. It didn't take me long to realize the first review I watched was a paid schill for any brand but CC. I followed my gut and bought the CC WW 24. The sidekick is still on backorder but I am completely satisfied with this smoker. I haven't cooked anything that wasn't delicious on it so far. A lot of it is the best I've ever had. Your review is spot on.
Very good review Justin! I always enjoyed cooking on my CCWW, and I especially liked the sidekick. I had the previous model from the year before. I gave it to my youngest son to make room for the LSG pellet smoker, but still waiting for it's release. Hoping soon, since I currently have no pellet grills. That ash dump is a game changer for sure!
I've got the 24" version of this (just me and the mrs) and it's the perfect size for us if we want to do a few pork butts or racks of ribs. I love the convenience of the wifi/bluetooth connectivity for being able to see the temp/probes of your food. I also have the searing side kick.. what I do is a revers sear on the smoker side for steaks with hickory pellets, when it's up to temp, fire up the side kick, get that beautiful char on the steak and in less then a min per side, it's ready for serving. Great review!!!
This model seems to "smoke" the Weber SmokeFire; but for about the same price we can consider the Grilla Silverback Alpha which "might" be of a sturdier construction, maybe?
I have a Traeger and used it for two years before I finally gave up on it. I now own an Old Country BBQ Pits Pecos smoker and immediately started getting that smoky flavor in my meat that I NEVER got with the Traeger. BTW, you really didn't talk much about the smoke performance of this pellet smoker. Do you get lots of thin blue smoke or just white smoke every once in a while?
Excellent video. Thinking seriously about the 24 version…. Or the Pro 24. I do have a WSM and I’m pretty sure the Wi-Fi you have can’t approach the smokiness quotient. That said, I’d be good with decent smoke taste. Have you had good results at a setting of 5 on the smoke setting? Just subscribed!!
Good review. I narrowed it down to a Camp Chef and a Green Mountain Grill. Chose the GMG because it was in stock locally. It works great, but it just doesn't have a good smoke flavor. I've tried lots of different pellet brands, smoke tubes, etc. but just can't get the flavor of a kamado style or a stick burner. But it's easy...
That's crazy! I get great smoke flavor at 150F and add a smoke tube using bear mountain pellets in my 5 year old GMG. I could understand if you are burning hot you don't get the smoke.
I have the CC ZG from Dicks Sporting Goods. I love the SG feature. I have seared steaks, chicken wings, chops, etc with great results. I live near Reno, NV where temps are pretty darn cold in the winter; a high of 36-40 degrees is not uncommon. Did all the above in winter , fall , and spring. Plus if course summer. Cold weather smoking definitely has a learning curve! I love your videos. Because of you I bought SNS for my Weber kettle !! Happy smoking and grilling!!
I totally understand as a charcoal person...I just get asked about pellet grills all the time so I try to keep my eyes on that genre too. Thanks for watching.
This is a great review. Thanks for taking the time to put it together. I've been following you for a long time. I remember that our father's passed away at about the same time. So, I know what you were going through. Anyway, I've been looking at this cooker for a long time. This video might have pushed me over the edge. Life is short... Grill on!
Seems like your chimney is tightened down fairly low? That can interfere with the temp due to restricted airflow. I'm glad you mentioned your shipping damage because that seems to be a common thing with Camp Chef. IMO, they have a packaging issue / shipping vendor issue such that shipping damage is common. Also, people have had issues with defective parts, like the DOA controller on my 24 inch. All that said, I have been very pleased with my unit. I had the 'crispy brisket' result that you mentioned. I wrap with butcher paper and it was stuck to the bottom of brisket. I think that I may try doing it on a rack on top of an aluminum pan rather than the top rack. I like doing wings in it: 30 minutes at 225, smoke 7 and then bump the heat up to 325 for 30 minutes. Now I'm hungry...
Nicely done review on the Camp Chef Justin, this was one I was considering because I love the side burner option for searing. Unfortunately, living where I live ( Canada) I couldn’t find any display models in stores, only available on line. I went with a Broil King Regal 500 instead.
Your videos are always so well made and on point ! I’ve heard Mike talk about this pellet smoker too I think. I have the Blackstone Tailgater and I use the ring burner the same way ! Great video as always Justin!
The 24 inch SmokePro is one of the best bargain pellet smokers out there, when it comes to quality and features. The things are tanks, and when you prep them for winter smoking they barely use up pellets. I can easily run a 17 hour brisket session on a single load of pellets, with the thermal blanket and a harbor freight moving blanket covering up most of the unit throughout the cook. When it's 20* outside, I set my temp probes, fill the hopper, throw it on and enjoy the warmth inside.
Great video thanks! I’m seriously considering this, but have a question. Does the grill box on the sidekick get as hot as the sear box attachment (I’ve seen some 900 degree claims). Searing is very important for me, so if they are the same I’d go sidekick to get the griddle (and other goodies). BTW using it to start charcoal chimney actually moved the needle for me!!
Small casters seem to be a common feature of lots of grills and my biggest complaint since my I've got some caster sized gaps in my cement :) I've never cooked with this one, but the sidekick really seems to make up for the drawbacks with pellet cookers. Thank you for putting in through it's paces instead of a one cook review.
Missed u welcome back.I have the camp Chef SG24 wifi(same as woodwind minus the SS hood and different cid controller)$200.00 less.great review,i don't have the sidekick and haven't tried the open flame on the main cooker yet,BUT I will using Grill Grates before I think about getting the sidekick
Great video. My Woodwind 36 is on its way now, but I have to have that front shelf! Do you have a part number or link to where I can get the shelf? Really gotta have it! Thanks man, and keep up the great work!
Good video Jeremy...I had pondered the camp chef when purchasing. But longevity was one of my key features, just too thin, I’ve seen too many on the scrap heap after a number of years. But I do like the features. Great to see your face, I hope all is well. Merry Christmas.
this was a wonderfully honest review. We have the "Cooking System" that I have taken on the road for Hunt camp and to our cottage. I'm a really hands-on guy, I want to touch it, lift the lid...kick the tires. This review has helped eliminate other pellet grills... And I have subscribed ... Thank Maniac
Haven't thought much about pellet grills but liked your video very informative really liked the side kick stuff... My wife would love the pizza oven also
I live in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and we get some cold weather. I have the original Rec-Tec 680. I've found the smoke flavor tends to get overwhelming in cold weather especially on a long cook. I recently upgraded to the digital controller w/WiFi and it has more control over the feed rate which is really what controls your smoke. Also Rec-Tec has a cold weather blanket for the 700 which while a bit big for mine works. The grill doesn't have to feed more to overcome the outside temps and also keeps the excess smoke down like that. My "Big Red" is a beast and I don't see a need to replace it for quite some time but this Camp Chef shows that manufacturers are listening to consumers and bringing well thought out add-ons to consumer grade products. Nice even review Jason from a "fire" type of guy.
I also own a req tec, and have for 7 years. I live in Az. and don’t have to worry about the cold. But it appears to me the Req Tec appears to be way better built. Had a problem 2 years ago and the shipped all new parts for free and walked me thru the repair and called me the following day to see if it worked. 7 year warranty and customer service counts in my book.
If your looking for a pellet grill that can sear and reach temp of 600°f then take a good strong look at the Broil King Regal 500 made with 14g steel. They are made in North America.👍
From other youtube channels reviewing the 24 inch, theirs gets up to 600-650 with the heat deflector removed and set to high, so maybe the burn pot just can't get hot enough on the 36 due to the extra space inside?
I watched this video a while ago when you posted it. My experience is mostly based on the Weber Kettle and WSM. I finally made the decision to purchase and will be arriving in about a week. All that said, I just wanted to thank you for helping with my decision process. Also, I was wondering if you have tried the Royal Oach Charcoal pellets in the Woodwind? Other videos seem to point that they work great. Curious about what you think.
Hey Brother, thanks for all your videos.. I have learned so much from you and truly wanna say thanks. Im in the market for a pellet, i wanted to know would you take this camp chef over the weber pellet? I was set on the weber but really not feeling comfortable....
Thanks for the great video! If I was going to buy a Camp Chef, I would want one of the models (Woodwind Pro) with the "Smoke Box" where you can put chunks of real wood to get much better smoke flavor.
Absolutely... Pellet smokers are pretty fool proof tbh... The most important thing about pellet grills is the maintance! You gotta make sure to stay on top of cleaning them after every 3 to 4 cooks as the ash builds up, or if your flame goes out pellets will pile up inside the burner and?next time you go to light your grill it will cause a big fire underneath! But yes pellet grills are the perfect type of smoker to get into smoking with! 👍
Justin - great video. Can you speak to how it performs as a smoker compared to other pellet grills. I'm torn between the camp chef and the MAK General 2. You have both - how do they compare?
I have a very specific question for this grill, and you're probably the person best able to answer it. How does the smoke penetration on briskets, ribs, and pork butts differ between the Camp Chef (or any other pellet grill) and a Weber Smoky Mountain? I've been using an 18" WSM since 2008 and I'm looking forward to the convenience of a pellet grill, but I'm wondering if the flavor profile of my foods will change, and if so, will it be substantial?
Have you ever gotten an answer on this? I recently bought a Camp Chef and love the convenience of the cook and how tightly this grill holds temperatures (bad thing for smoke?). I'm coming off of an older Pit Boss that did a really good job of imparting smoke flavor if you began your cooks with a few hours of low temperature (200-ish) cooking. I did what I normally do and every aspect of the cook turned out nearly prefect, except it had very little smoke flavor (much less that I was used to on the Pit Boss).
@@michaelnance5236 I ended up buying the Camp Chef and indeed, there's little to no smoke flavor. It cooks the food just fine and is convenient, but it is indeed a pellet *GRILL* and not a pellet *SMOKER* even with the high smoke setting. The flavour difference between the WSM and the CC-36 is stark. I can only imagine how much better still an offset would be, but that's just impractical in my situation.
I've been tempted to try to add more smoke to my pellet smoker with amazn tubes/trays. With this new 'smoke setting', do you think it makes pellet tubes/trays unnecessary? or the temp swings with the higher smoke settings are not worth it and stick with tubes/trays? i have the camp chef woodwind from a few years ago and chose it for all the reasons you highlight here. and my experience with the help desk has been good. thanks for this video.
i actually just got this exact grill couple days ago as a gift, so far smoked a tri-tip and pork chops and came out really well. the sidekick is great, did breakfast on it seared steaks. loving it so far...maybe down the road I'll get a sns grill for the charcoal experience . but so far liking this grill alot.
I'm a huge fan of the Camp Chef products. You could also note the accessories for that sidekick are interchangeable with any of their 14 inch cook systems. It's so nice having those items to use with my camping equipment. All that said, I still prefer my 22inch WSM for smoking big meats.
Looks really nice. Love the side cooker attachments!! My wife likes making pizza too!! Good for making lunch on while the main chamber is cooking dinner for you!! Have a merry Christmas BBM!!!
I have a CampChef SG. As you found the slide n' grill tech is kinda worthless. There are a few other pellet smokers out there that have done a better job with it. I don't have the sidekick on mine and that is really what is missing for me. The Campchef is great for doing any kind of smoked stuff. I've done jerky, brisket, ribs, chicken, turkey breast. It works great as a medium temp grill. However, if you need something hotter than 400 I'd get the sidekick or use a gas grill. Try smoking burgers at 220 for 90 minutes. They are amazing.
I've had my SmokePro DLX (basically a woodwind w/o the stainless steel lid, 4 wheels, and the slide and sear) for 4 years...upgraded to t he new PID Controller...i makes some really good food for freiinds, family, and charity tailgates. i plan on upgrading to the 36" when i can swing it
Justin, Would you recommend this Camp Chef over the SmokeFire gen 2? I know you had a bad experience when it first came out. I respect your opinion a lot.
Nice video as usual buddy. I'm in the market for a solid pellet grill. I thought the Smoke Fire was gonna be "the one" but now I'm not so sure. Thanks for all the great info on this one tho. You always present clear, concise & useful information and we, your fans, really appreciate that about you! Merry Christmas to you & yours!
I do like the pull out burner feature but it will only work well if you preheat it for about 15 minutes (minimum) and use it with a fatty piece of meat that has rendered or is dripping. When that happens a nice flame will form and char the outside. If you’re not getting that I like to drizzle a LITTLE oil around the side of the meat and let it drip, which then starts the charring flames. Did this on a tri tip and some wings last weekend. Last tip, Smoke beef lower on the grill than you would on a traditional smoker. Instead of 225F on “HIGH SMOKE” setting cook at 180-190F smoke level 10. Much more tender beef and better smoke flavor. Was initially disappointed by the results from the “HIGH SMOKE” setting and I believe it has to do with the slower rate of convection on pellet type smokers. I love this grill.
Nice review my friend. I have always been gun shy about pellet cookers since my first experience with a Green Mountain Grill I bought several years ago. I was very disappointed in it and just never thought of getting another one. It looks like I may need to look at this one. BYW, I am getting a 26” WK for Christmas, so looking forward to using my SNS. Thanks again.
If you like what you have, I don't know if I'd trade out necessarily but if I was starting over and buying with my own money this would be the one I would get right now. Thanks for watching.
Great Review! Right now I am torn between this or a Recteq 700. I already have a Camp Chef 600 griddle/grill with the oversized pizza oven attachment, so the only thing I am thinking I need the sidekick for would be the sear box and as a possible wok station since I have read that it can easily hit high enough temps to do wok cooking.
I haven't been keeping tabs, but what cooking method is winning BBQ contests the last decade? I'm just a backyard smoker, but other than Harry Soo previously crushing it with WSMs out of his minivan (who would have guessed?), what setup other than offset is producing great BBQ? Are pellet smokers getting there?
With the Camp Chef pellet grills, fat cap down. Also, clean out the area around the burn pot once in a while. You can empty the pot easily, but you still need to vacuum it out every so often. If ive done 3 briskets, not really counting all the other short time smoke sessions, it's time to clean it out all the way.
I totally agree with your dislikes of the vented drip tray and moveable fire pot cover. I presently have a Rec Tec, great grill, but it struggles with putting smoke on the food when you want it, doesn't have a good pellet or ash cleanout system like the Camp Chef, but, is extremely well built with high quality stainless steel throughout, will outlast all the others on the market. My ideal grill would be Rec Tec build quality, with Camp Chef smoke control , ash clean out and pellet clean out. And please, please stay away from those curved and or vented drip trays. Just give me a big solid chunk of sloped smooth steel like the Rec Tec, so much easier to clean and manage. Also, agree that these pellet guys need to forget about gimicks to try to get a sear option in the main unit, it just messes things up. The sear is not that bad actually if they heat to the 600 degree range, which, Rec Tec's actually get close to, plus just the Camp Chef optional gas side sear option is the way to go if you want that "sear" option.
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As always an excellent video, but it only adds to the confusion . At 73 do I need another grill? Why yes I do. I watched the Slow n’ Sear video ,ah a kamado, , then looked at the new Summit kamado, had looked before at the Camp Chef, and now your positive video. I see my kids inheritance taking a hit.
Just tell your wife "it's a bottle opener...with grill conveniently attached to the back." (Let us know how that worked out. lol)
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Tried to use that argument for sunglasses from William Painter. It didn't work...
@MrAbletospeak They are fantastic investments in your grilling life.
I'm impressed! A pellet cooker that does the job of at least 6 different cookers. Bravo Camp Chef! A very well thought out cooker. Great video Justin!
They do good work! Thanks for watching, Greg.
We are purposely looking to replace our gas grill with a pellet grill. We do a lot of burgers with our pool parties. Can you cook a lot of burgers in the main cabin well without tasting overly Smokey?
@@MissLittleNiki "overly smokey" what is that? That's kind of like saying "I had a great time at the party but I drank too much beer"! Or "military intelligence". Can't happen. Cook burgers on the highest setting and they'll come out perfectly, only thing better is eating fresh caribou over an open fire, oh and a case of a good IPA beer.
This grill has lots of new and neat features. What I love is that this type of grill is growing into “more”... not just a generic pellet grill, but it seems like the manufacturers are listening to the customers. Great video!!!
Yeah, I totally agree. The cool thing about camp chef is they have been on point with a lot of this stuff from the get go. Alot of what makes this nice was in the very first model I had 7 years ago.
Really well done video. You hit all the right points on this. I just wish the 24 had the extra 2 wheels that the 36 gets :)
That is really the only thing I wish my 24 had. I had the original 24 smokepro and sold it after probably 120+ cooks on it, upgrading to a new smokepro 24 (same unit, new controller.) A thermal blanket is all I added to this one (I had done the sear box on the old unit, which was nice but unnecessary.)
The Woodwind 24 does have the same wheel and caster setup. I have it and it's exactly the same with just a smaller cooking chamber.
Thanks, Ryne. Appreciate you stopping by.
Good info, John. Maybe there is a retrofit kit.
@@BabyBackManiac I just took a look at the Camp Chef site and the new Woodwind 24 smokers do NOT have the casters. It appears that the Woodwind 24 WiFI model does not have the casters that were on the earlier Woodwind 24 model. The only thing I can think of is the check the replacement parts for the caster/legs from the 36 and see if they might fit the 24.
As a owner of the last generation of the wood wind. Minus the WiFi controller it has all the positives you mentioned. None of the negatives. Have had it 3 or so years. Been flawless. Oh. Don’t know if they are still doing it, but if you’re are MIL, or a vet/ first responder you get a discount. You have to reach to Camp Chef directly and prove it, to qualify. Excellent review.
Great review! I just want to add somethings I discovered with mine. Ok from the get go I need to point out I am not complaining about mine. I love it. I won a 36 in from a local liquor store through a FREE raffle. I did have some issues with who put it together and went over it checking every nut and bolt. Glad I did...one of the wheels almost fell off and the bottom shelf wasn't even attached all the way. I did have connection issues with the controller from the start. After the update it is working great and I use the Bluetooth option the most. WIFI connection is still iffy but that is more of a router location and wall interference thing. I ran into the same issue with the pellet window and use a stick to stir the pellets around while cooking. The only suggestion I have for design is the door. I was smoking ribs at it started raining. The grill wasn't hot enough to evaporate all the rain water hitting the grill. One time I opened the lid and some water went into the grill onto the meat. When the door opens it doesn't overlap the top of the grill. Design flaw??? You decide. I just make sure now to wipe the lid off before opening it....ok that is my two cents.....Thanks
great feedback. Yeah, that's a problem with a lot of these cookers. I had one that costs a lot more that had the same issue. I appreciate the comment and wish I had thought to throw that in.
I wonder if some high temp felt tape along that seam might help
Great Review!
I've had my 36" Woodwind WIFI for about 5 months. I love it. Several briskets, baby-back ribs, pork butt. The smoke flavor on the briskets was fantastic. Maybe other pellet smokers fall short here, but I definitely fooled my friends who thought I smoked a brisket on the offset, when it actually was done on the Woodwind. Only difference was I got a lot more sleep during the cook. I used Oak pellets to help with the Texas brisket flavor profile I was looking for.
I baked the turkey on it for Thanksgiving, freeing up the inside oven for all the other things my wife made for the feast.
Instead of the sidekick, I opted for the dedicated SearBox attachment. Works fantastically as I SousVide my steaks, I only need the quick sear at the end.
When I am ready for a new pellet smoker- this camp chef will definitely be at the top of the list- thank you for walking through the pro’s and the con’s.
My pleasure man. I doubt you'll need a new one for a while. (still have the Rectec?)
I have the sear box, which adds that char broiled flavor to finish a steak. I smoke first, sear last. Adding the sear box made all the difference and it's increased my smoker usage a ton, it's a must have.
The ash cleanout was the feature that sold me when I was shopping for a pellet smoker, it is a brilliant feature.
Hi Justin. I just came across this video and wanted you to know how much I miss your bbq videos. You've taught me so much about bbq and I appreciate it. I hope you're doing awesome 🙏❤
I have a 36 Woodwind; had it for a couple years now and have been really happy with it! Great review!
Thanks, John. Yes, they do good work.
Excellent video Justin... I agree with you on this grill. I think it addressed the two major issues with pellet grills perfectly. 1 - it will sear with the sidekick addition and 2- it made the firepot clean out a no brainer. I think its a great choice.
Thanks John. I'm surprised it's not a more common feature. Appreciate you watching, bud.
Super review, Justin, as usual. You're getting so smooth that you may have a big future as a snake oil salesman. Always love to see Mama Maniac put in an appearance.
Thorough review and always professionally done Justin!
Thanks, dude. Hope you are doing well, my friend.
Great video man! I bought my dad the WW24 back in the spring and ended up with the SmokePro SG24 WiFi myself. I also have the sidekick which I never thought I’d use, but the versatility that it brings makes Camp Chef stand out vs the competition. I love to smoke my steaks and burgers then sear them on the cast iron griddle. Again great video and I hope to see more of it!
yeah it's a great total package. Thanks for watching!
That is a very nice pellet grill Justin! I really like that ash dump and the side kick!!! Thanks for sharing brother and another fantastic review!!
Thanks, buddy.
When I started doing my research about pellet grills a few months ago the very first one I watched really hated on Camp Chef and pointed out all kinds of imaginary issues and reasons why Trager was so much better. I was turned off on CC right from the beginning but as I learned more and more about them I kept coming back to the feature rich WW24. It didn't take me long to realize the first review I watched was a paid schill for any brand but CC. I followed my gut and bought the CC WW 24. The sidekick is still on backorder but I am completely satisfied with this smoker. I haven't cooked anything that wasn't delicious on it so far. A lot of it is the best I've ever had. Your review is spot on.
Very good review Justin! I always enjoyed cooking on my CCWW, and I especially liked the sidekick. I had the previous model from the year before. I gave it to my youngest son to make room for the LSG pellet smoker, but still waiting for it's release. Hoping soon, since I currently have no pellet grills. That ash dump is a game changer for sure!
Right on! I can't wait to see what Christ comes up with. Thanks for watching, Rus. I really appreciate it.
Your smile at the beginning said it all. Great to see you again,
I've got the 24" version of this (just me and the mrs) and it's the perfect size for us if we want to do a few pork butts or racks of ribs. I love the convenience of the wifi/bluetooth connectivity for being able to see the temp/probes of your food. I also have the searing side kick.. what I do is a revers sear on the smoker side for steaks with hickory pellets, when it's up to temp, fire up the side kick, get that beautiful char on the steak and in less then a min per side, it's ready for serving. Great review!!!
Awesome review. Great to see you back in action!
Thanks for taking your time using and testing this grill! Appreciate the effort!
This model seems to "smoke" the Weber SmokeFire; but for about the same price we can consider the Grilla Silverback Alpha which "might" be of a sturdier construction, maybe?
nice review very informative.....I was leaning towards the rec tec any thoughts or experience with that manufacturer ?
You give such an open and honest review - thanks for all your hard work, we do appreciate it
I bet that sidekick would cook up some fine tasting picanha!!!! Love ya brother!!! Great video!!!
You got that right! If only I knew how to cut it straight we would be in business. lol
Very well presented, Justin. A great tutorial on how to review an item...any item!
I have a Traeger and used it for two years before I finally gave up on it. I now own an Old Country BBQ Pits Pecos smoker and immediately started getting that smoky flavor in my meat that I NEVER got with the Traeger. BTW, you really didn't talk much about the smoke performance of this pellet smoker. Do you get lots of thin blue smoke or just white smoke every once in a while?
Excellent video. Thinking seriously about the 24 version…. Or the Pro 24. I do have a WSM and I’m pretty sure the Wi-Fi you have can’t approach the smokiness quotient. That said, I’d be good with decent smoke taste. Have you had good results at a setting of 5 on the smoke setting? Just subscribed!!
Very thorough review. I took a lot of the features you mentioned into consideration before purchasing my pellet smoker. Thanks for sharing
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching, Steve.
I've never used Camp Chef, this review has helped me. If I ever decide on a pellet cooker I might try this one. Very cool
Thanks for taking the time to watch, Ken.
Very professional Justin. No idea what you do for a living but you could either present create edit professionally. The Camp Chef looks great 👍
Thank you, Jamie. I really appreciate the kind words.
@@BabyBackManiac out of curiosity what do you do for a living or do you keep that stuff private?
Good review. I narrowed it down to a Camp Chef and a Green Mountain Grill. Chose the GMG because it was in stock locally. It works great, but it just doesn't have a good smoke flavor. I've tried lots of different pellet brands, smoke tubes, etc. but just can't get the flavor of a kamado style or a stick burner. But it's easy...
That's crazy! I get great smoke flavor at 150F and add a smoke tube using bear mountain pellets in my 5 year old GMG. I could understand if you are burning hot you don't get the smoke.
I have the CC ZG from Dicks Sporting Goods. I love the SG feature. I have seared steaks, chicken wings, chops, etc with great results. I live near Reno, NV where temps are pretty darn cold in the winter; a high of 36-40 degrees is not uncommon. Did all the above in winter , fall , and spring. Plus if course summer. Cold weather smoking definitely has a learning curve! I love your videos. Because of you I bought SNS for my Weber kettle !! Happy smoking and grilling!!
Nice review Justin! I was wondering if you would mention the bottle opener...lol. Hope to see a cook on this soon.
I'm a charcoal guy but if I were to get a pellet grill, this is the one!
I totally understand as a charcoal person...I just get asked about pellet grills all the time so I try to keep my eyes on that genre too. Thanks for watching.
Nice job. Love the way you handle the pros & cons ... and then the overall evaluation. Love your channel.
I'm doing my research on what pellet grill to buy right now. Leaning towards this one with the sidekick. Really enjoyed this video, thanks
Definitely better than that timberline XL traeger. No one should be spending 4k on a grill! Well done sire! I’m getting this on Tuesday
This is what I've been wanting for a long time. Thanks for giving me more information!
My pleasure. Thanks for watching.
This is a great review. Thanks for taking the time to put it together. I've been following you for a long time. I remember that our father's passed away at about the same time. So, I know what you were going through. Anyway, I've been looking at this cooker for a long time. This video might have pushed me over the edge. Life is short... Grill on!
Thanks for watching, Patrick. Sorry about your dad. You are right though it does make you realize the brevity of life. Happy New Year.
Seems like your chimney is tightened down fairly low? That can interfere with the temp due to restricted airflow. I'm glad you mentioned your shipping damage because that seems to be a common thing with Camp Chef. IMO, they have a packaging issue / shipping vendor issue such that shipping damage is common. Also, people have had issues with defective parts, like the DOA controller on my 24 inch. All that said, I have been very pleased with my unit. I had the 'crispy brisket' result that you mentioned. I wrap with butcher paper and it was stuck to the bottom of brisket. I think that I may try doing it on a rack on top of an aluminum pan rather than the top rack. I like doing wings in it: 30 minutes at 225, smoke 7 and then bump the heat up to 325 for 30 minutes. Now I'm hungry...
Thanks for the insight. I haven't done wings yet. May try that next.
Great video Justin. As I think about what I might get next this is great info. Thanks.
Nicely done review on the Camp Chef Justin, this was one I was considering because I love the side burner option for searing. Unfortunately, living where I live ( Canada) I couldn’t find any display models in stores, only available on line. I went with a Broil King Regal 500 instead.
Your videos are always so well made and on point ! I’ve heard Mike talk about this pellet smoker too I think. I have the Blackstone Tailgater and I use the ring burner the same way ! Great video as always Justin!
Thanks, Kent. Appreciate your time, my friend.
The 24 inch SmokePro is one of the best bargain pellet smokers out there, when it comes to quality and features. The things are tanks, and when you prep them for winter smoking they barely use up pellets. I can easily run a 17 hour brisket session on a single load of pellets, with the thermal blanket and a harbor freight moving blanket covering up most of the unit throughout the cook. When it's 20* outside, I set my temp probes, fill the hopper, throw it on and enjoy the warmth inside.
Great video thanks! I’m seriously considering this, but have a question. Does the grill box on the sidekick get as hot as the sear box attachment (I’ve seen some 900 degree claims). Searing is very important for me, so if they are the same I’d go sidekick to get the griddle (and other goodies). BTW using it to start charcoal chimney actually moved the needle for me!!
Small casters seem to be a common feature of lots of grills and my biggest complaint since my I've got some caster sized gaps in my cement :) I've never cooked with this one, but the sidekick really seems to make up for the drawbacks with pellet cookers. Thank you for putting in through it's paces instead of a one cook review.
Thanks Ryan. The sidekick is such a simple addition but it solves a common problem in a fantastic way.
Missed u welcome back.I have the camp Chef SG24 wifi(same as woodwind minus the SS hood and different cid controller)$200.00 less.great review,i don't have the sidekick and haven't tried the open flame on the main cooker yet,BUT I will using Grill Grates before I think about getting the sidekick
Awesome review and well put together video with the chapters. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
Great video. My Woodwind 36 is on its way now, but I have to have that front shelf! Do you have a part number or link to where I can get the shelf? Really gotta have it! Thanks man, and keep up the great work!
Good video Jeremy...I had pondered the camp chef when purchasing. But longevity was one of my key features, just too thin, I’ve seen too many on the scrap heap after a number of years. But I do like the features. Great to see your face, I hope all is well. Merry Christmas.
I have a Traeger but my buddy bought this exact unit. Very impressive and I agree with your assessment. The sidekick is amazing.
This was a cool tour of the camp chef!!! That is a slick set up
this was a wonderfully honest review. We have the "Cooking System" that I have taken on the road for Hunt camp and to our cottage. I'm a really hands-on guy, I want to touch it, lift the lid...kick the tires. This review has helped eliminate other pellet grills... And I have subscribed ... Thank Maniac
Haven't thought much about pellet grills but liked your video very informative really liked the side kick stuff... My wife would love the pizza oven also
I live in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and we get some cold weather. I have the original Rec-Tec 680. I've found the smoke flavor tends to get overwhelming in cold weather especially on a long cook. I recently upgraded to the digital controller w/WiFi and it has more control over the feed rate which is really what controls your smoke. Also Rec-Tec has a cold weather blanket for the 700 which while a bit big for mine works. The grill doesn't have to feed more to overcome the outside temps and also keeps the excess smoke down like that. My "Big Red" is a beast and I don't see a need to replace it for quite some time but this Camp Chef shows that manufacturers are listening to consumers and bringing well thought out add-ons to consumer grade products. Nice even review Jason from a "fire" type of guy.
I also own a req tec, and have for 7 years. I live in Az. and don’t have to worry about the cold. But it appears to me the Req Tec appears to be way better built. Had a problem 2 years ago and the shipped all new parts for free and walked me thru the repair and called me the following day to see if it worked. 7 year warranty and customer service counts in my book.
Great overview Justin. Loved this grill from the moment those hilarious commercials aired when it launched lol
Yeah I meant to put that in there but I forgot. LOL they are hysterical
Excellent review! I'm looking to upgrade and I'm glad you included the part about the reasonably sized 24" for the everyday backyard warrior.
If your looking for a pellet grill that can sear and reach temp of 600°f then take a good strong look at the Broil King Regal 500 made with 14g steel. They are made in North America.👍
I have the exact same setup.and love it. Camp Chef makes excellent, good quality stuff. Very happy with mine so far
Great Video brother. How evenally does it cook from left to right?
From other youtube channels reviewing the 24 inch, theirs gets up to 600-650 with the heat deflector removed and set to high, so maybe the burn pot just can't get hot enough on the 36 due to the extra space inside?
I think you may be on to something!
I watched this video a while ago when you posted it. My experience is mostly based on the Weber Kettle and WSM. I finally made the decision to purchase and will be arriving in about a week. All that said, I just wanted to thank you for helping with my decision process. Also, I was wondering if you have tried the Royal Oach Charcoal pellets in the Woodwind? Other videos seem to point that they work great. Curious about what you think.
Great review... I love your videos, keep them coming!
Hey Brother, thanks for all your videos.. I have learned so much from you and truly wanna say thanks. Im in the market for a pellet, i wanted to know would you take this camp chef over the weber pellet? I was set on the weber but really not feeling comfortable....
Thanks for the great video! If I was going to buy a Camp Chef, I would want one of the models (Woodwind Pro) with the "Smoke Box" where you can put chunks of real wood to get much better smoke flavor.
Was wondering if you purchased the woodwind or did CC send it to you
Would you recommend this cooker for someone that is relatively new to this sort of thing?
Absolutely... Pellet smokers are pretty fool proof tbh... The most important thing about pellet grills is the maintance! You gotta make sure to stay on top of cleaning them after every 3 to 4 cooks as the ash builds up, or if your flame goes out pellets will pile up inside the burner and?next time you go to light your grill it will cause a big fire underneath! But yes pellet grills are the perfect type of smoker to get into smoking with! 👍
Justin, do you have the Lone Star Grillz pellet smoker on order? I would really like a pellet smoker just not sure which one yet.
Justin - great video. Can you speak to how it performs as a smoker compared to other pellet grills. I'm torn between the camp chef and the MAK General 2. You have both - how do they compare?
Justin, whatever happened to the weber smoke fire pellet grill you had? Did you return it?
I have a very specific question for this grill, and you're probably the person best able to answer it. How does the smoke penetration on briskets, ribs, and pork butts differ between the Camp Chef (or any other pellet grill) and a Weber Smoky Mountain? I've been using an 18" WSM since 2008 and I'm looking forward to the convenience of a pellet grill, but I'm wondering if the flavor profile of my foods will change, and if so, will it be substantial?
Have you ever gotten an answer on this? I recently bought a Camp Chef and love the convenience of the cook and how tightly this grill holds temperatures (bad thing for smoke?). I'm coming off of an older Pit Boss that did a really good job of imparting smoke flavor if you began your cooks with a few hours of low temperature (200-ish) cooking. I did what I normally do and every aspect of the cook turned out nearly prefect, except it had very little smoke flavor (much less that I was used to on the Pit Boss).
@@michaelnance5236 I ended up buying the Camp Chef and indeed, there's little to no smoke flavor. It cooks the food just fine and is convenient, but it is indeed a pellet *GRILL* and not a pellet *SMOKER* even with the high smoke setting. The flavour difference between the WSM and the CC-36 is stark. I can only imagine how much better still an offset would be, but that's just impractical in my situation.
I've been tempted to try to add more smoke to my pellet smoker with amazn tubes/trays. With this new 'smoke setting', do you think it makes pellet tubes/trays unnecessary? or the temp swings with the higher smoke settings are not worth it and stick with tubes/trays? i have the camp chef woodwind from a few years ago and chose it for all the reasons you highlight here. and my experience with the help desk has been good. thanks for this video.
i actually just got this exact grill couple days ago as a gift, so far smoked a tri-tip and pork chops and came out really well. the sidekick is great, did breakfast on it seared steaks. loving it so far...maybe down the road I'll get a sns grill for the charcoal experience . but so far liking this grill alot.
I always enjoy your videos and especially when you do reviews. This is no exception.
thanks
Really like this smoker. How is the “grill/direct flame” feature on the smoker it self? Can it get hot enough to sear?
Great video. Like your candid way of saying how it is!! Just wish we had all those BBQ options down under.
I'm a huge fan of the Camp Chef products. You could also note the accessories for that sidekick are interchangeable with any of their 14 inch cook systems. It's so nice having those items to use with my camping equipment. All that said, I still prefer my 22inch WSM for smoking big meats.
Looks really nice. Love the side cooker attachments!! My wife likes making pizza too!! Good for making lunch on while the main chamber is cooking dinner for you!! Have a merry Christmas BBM!!!
Great review! Thanks for all the effort that went into this video.
Thanks for watching, Jeremy. Have fun with your new toy.
I have a CampChef SG. As you found the slide n' grill tech is kinda worthless. There are a few other pellet smokers out there that have done a better job with it. I don't have the sidekick on mine and that is really what is missing for me. The Campchef is great for doing any kind of smoked stuff. I've done jerky, brisket, ribs, chicken, turkey breast. It works great as a medium temp grill. However, if you need something hotter than 400 I'd get the sidekick or use a gas grill. Try smoking burgers at 220 for 90 minutes. They are amazing.
I agree Jason. Thanks for watching bud.
Thanks for the honest review Justin.
Looking at buying this and was curious if you found that humidity gets to the pellets?
I've had my SmokePro DLX (basically a woodwind w/o the stainless steel lid, 4 wheels, and the slide and sear) for 4 years...upgraded to t he new PID Controller...i makes some really good food for freiinds, family, and charity tailgates. i plan on upgrading to the 36" when i can swing it
Justin,
Would you recommend this Camp Chef over the SmokeFire gen 2? I know you had a bad experience when it first came out. I respect your opinion a lot.
Steve,
I'm sorry. Without having used it, I don't feel comfortable commenting one way or the other.
Thank you for asking though.
Great review and perfect timing! I have been looking to upgrade my current setup and this may have made up my mind for me. Thanks!
Do you find yourself using a smoke tube to get more smoke? Do you find the smoke is enough with the numbered options?
Nice video as usual buddy. I'm in the market for a solid pellet grill. I thought the Smoke Fire was gonna be "the one" but now I'm not so sure. Thanks for all the great info on this one tho. You always present clear, concise & useful information and we, your fans, really appreciate that about you! Merry Christmas to you & yours!
I do like the pull out burner feature but it will only work well if you preheat it for about 15 minutes (minimum) and use it with a fatty piece of meat that has rendered or is dripping. When that happens a nice flame will form and char the outside. If you’re not getting that I like to drizzle a LITTLE oil around the side of the meat and let it drip, which then starts the charring flames. Did this on a tri tip and some wings last weekend.
Last tip, Smoke beef lower on the grill than you would on a traditional smoker.
Instead of 225F on “HIGH SMOKE” setting cook at 180-190F smoke level 10. Much more tender beef and better smoke flavor. Was initially disappointed by the results from the “HIGH SMOKE” setting and I believe it has to do with the slower rate of convection on pellet type smokers.
I love this grill.
Time to get one of those camp chef griddles
Nice review my friend. I have always been gun shy about pellet cookers since my first experience with a Green Mountain Grill I bought several years ago. I was very disappointed in it and just never thought of getting another one. It looks like I may need to look at this one. BYW, I am getting a 26” WK for Christmas, so looking forward to using my SNS. Thanks again.
You gotta find what works for you. Congrats on the kettle.
That pizza oven just about sold me. I'm thinking it might try getting rid of my other pellet grill to pick one of these up!
If you like what you have, I don't know if I'd trade out necessarily but if I was starting over and buying with my own money this would be the one I would get right now. Thanks for watching.
Great Review! Right now I am torn between this or a Recteq 700. I already have a Camp Chef 600 griddle/grill with the oversized pizza oven attachment, so the only thing I am thinking I need the sidekick for would be the sear box and as a possible wok station since I have read that it can easily hit high enough temps to do wok cooking.
I haven't been keeping tabs, but what cooking method is winning BBQ contests the last decade? I'm just a backyard smoker, but other than Harry Soo previously crushing it with WSMs out of his minivan (who would have guessed?), what setup other than offset is producing great BBQ? Are pellet smokers getting there?
Great video , been contemplating buying a smoker , you made up my mind 👍👍
Glad I could help
With the Camp Chef pellet grills, fat cap down. Also, clean out the area around the burn pot once in a while. You can empty the pot easily, but you still need to vacuum it out every so often. If ive done 3 briskets, not really counting all the other short time smoke sessions, it's time to clean it out all the way.
In your opinion if you had to choose between this and the silverbac from grilla grills who are you going with?
I totally agree with your dislikes of the vented drip tray and moveable fire pot cover. I presently have a Rec Tec, great grill, but it struggles with putting smoke on the food when you want it, doesn't have a good pellet or ash cleanout system like the Camp Chef, but, is extremely well built with high quality stainless steel throughout, will outlast all the others on the market.
My ideal grill would be Rec Tec build quality, with Camp Chef smoke control , ash clean out and pellet clean out. And please, please stay away from those curved and or vented drip trays. Just give me a big solid chunk of sloped smooth steel like the Rec Tec, so much easier to clean and manage. Also, agree that these pellet guys need to forget about gimicks to try to get a sear option in the main unit, it just messes things up. The sear is not that bad actually if they heat to the 600 degree range, which, Rec Tec's actually get close to, plus just the Camp Chef optional gas side sear option is the way to go if you want that "sear" option.